Bow String Release

[Uncle Timbo]

Hey guys, I have a Samick Sage 45 lb takedown and I currently use a 3 finger glove for my release. Does anybody have similar setup and use a mechanical release?
Just wondering what's out there. I saw where a guy was selling a mechanical release for $200! Heck, I didn't pay that for my bow!

 

[bdmicarta]

I've used a lot of different releases over the years. I did try them on my Hoyt takedown and didn't have very good luck, for me they seemed to work much better on my compounds. But if they work for you then by all means.

There is nothing special about releases, many products are made overly fancy. The first releases were a simple piece of plastic or aluminum with a ledge made into it, no moving pieces. I've built my own with only one moving piece and it worked well. You don't have to spend a lot of money to get something that works well.

Shopping for releases, first you have to consider how you will draw the bow. Original releases were pulled with your first or first and second fingers. Most people don't mind this for target bows but it can be a problem for heavy hunting bows. Other styles hook around your wrist and are pulled with your arm and not your fingers, these are easier to use for heavy bows but they don't enforce good back tension like the others do.

Second you have to consider how you want to activate the release. Early designs were activated by back tension which is automatic if you are shooting with proper form. More mechanical designs are activated by first finger, third finger, thumb, whatever. These are more like a "trigger", and since they don't work with back tension they can allow poor form. If you aren't an experienced shooter with established form these devices can aggravate problems with your form and cause more problems than they help.

 

[Uncle Timbo]

Thanks bdmicarta. You've given me a lot of insight. A lot to think about. I have 2 bows, the Samick and a 70's era Jennings 4 pulley compound. The one with the wood laminate stock. When I got that one I'm not sure if mechanical releases were out or not. I always shot it bare fingered. It's only as I age that I find the old fingers aren't as tough as they used to be. The leather glove helps out a good deal. I might have to buy an inexpensive mechanical release and see if it works for me.

 

[bdmicarta]

a 70's era Jennings 4 pulley compound

I had a 4-wheel PSE in late 1970s and shot it with release. Then I got a Jennings Arrowstar 4-wheeler and shot it in NFAA competition with fingers (unlimited freestyle). Releases were pretty well developed by then with lots of variations on the market. I still own the Hoyt Takedown II recurve bow that I bought before I bought the compounds, I've also shot it in NAA, FITA and NFAA competition.

 

[22-rimfire]

You know, archery might be a fine back yard activity for older folks. I shot bow a lot back in the recurve days and hunted with a bow. But when I got out of college, my whole world changed and I never got back into shooting. I still have a couple of the bows which have been stored for 30 years+.

 

[Uncle Timbo]

I had a 4-wheel PSE in late 1970s and shot it with release. Then I got a Jennings Arrowstar 4-wheeler and shot it in NFAA competition with fingers (unlimited freestyle). Releases were pretty well developed by then with lots of variations on the market. I still own the Hoyt Takedown II recurve bow that I bought before I bought the compounds, I've also shot it in NAA, FITA and NFAA competition.

WOW! You've been there and done that. The reason for my getting a 3 fingered glove is because my old fingers aren't what they used to be. But I lose the sensitivity.

 

[Uncle Timbo]

You know, archery might be a fine back yard activity for older folks. I shot bow a lot back in the recurve days and hunted with a bow. But when I got out of college, my whole world changed and I never got back into shooting. I still have a couple of the bows which have been stored for 30 years+.

I took my old Jennings to a bow shop for a tune up. The bow guy replaced the string and lined everything that could be lined. He said the cables were fine.
Also, I have a 1/2 dozen of the old aluminum - avocado colored arrows with the plastic vanes. Those vanes were dry rotted. They just crumbled if you touched them. He put new vanes on them.
Speaking of vanes, I had the plastic vanes removed from by carbon fiber arrows for my Sage. Then the real McCoy's installed. Those have a .500 spine.
I also had a dude make me a quiver for them. He used some Elk hide he had on hand with some Coyote fur around the top to reduce noise from rattling arrows.
I'll see if I can get a pic of it later.

 

[22-rimfire]

I took my old Jennings to a bow shop for a tune up. The bow guy replaced the string and lined everything that could be lined. He said the cables were fine.
Also, I have a 1/2 dozen of the old aluminum - avocado colored arrows with the plastic vanes. Those vanes were dry rotted. They just crumbled if you touched them. He put new vanes on them.
Speaking of vanes, I had the plastic vanes removed from by carbon fiber arrows for my Sage. Then the real McCoy's installed. Those have a .500 spine.
I also had a dude make me a quiver for them. He used some Elk hide he had on hand with some Coyote fur around the top to reduce noise from rattling arrows.
I'll see if I can get a pic of it later.

You planning on hunting with your bows? It's funny, I don't even recall the model names of my recurves. I have my Dad's old recurve also. My older brother is pretty busy considering he is retired. Anyway, he got a crossbow, a fairly simple one, and has used it a couple seasons now. He mostly hunts from stands on his own property. A crossbow would be a reasonable choice for someone who might not want to practice a lot.

 

[JB in SC]

My last Jennings was an Arrowstar, I used a loop type release. I’m thinking I was shooting 1714 X7’s at the time.

I remember shooting with a guy that shot a laminated Jennings at 90 pounds in NFAA bow hunter. First name was Cal but can’t recall his last name for sure (Voight maybe). He won a few national championships. I loved those old Jennings.

 

[Uncle Timbo]

My last Jennings was an Arrowstar, I used a loop type release. I’m thinking I was shooting 1714 X7’s at the time.

I remember shooting with a guy that shot a laminated Jennings at 90 pounds in NFAA bow hunter. First name was Cal but can’t recall his last name for sure (Voight maybe). He won a few national championships. I loved those old Jennings.

Odd you should say that about liking the old Jennings. The guy at the bow shop asked me if mine was for sale and I said, nah, not at this time. He said a lot of people are looking for those old Jennings. I said why? He said because they are a forgiving bow. I looked him in the face for about 10 seconds and then said, you mean to tell me all this time it was the bow and not me?

 

[Uncle Timbo]

You planning on hunting with your bows? It's funny, I don't even recall the model names of my recurves. I have my Dad's old recurve also. My older brother is pretty busy considering he is retired. Anyway, he got a crossbow, a fairly simple one, and has used it a couple seasons now. He mostly hunts from stands on his own property. A crossbow would be a reasonable choice for someone who might not want to practice a lot.

I did just that. Some guy on these local fishing forums I'm on had a Horton 175 RECURVE crossbow w/scope for one hundo. I bought it and found 2 new strings for sale and bought those from a sporting goods bow shop in OH. My reason for the recurve is because I can replace the string if push ever came to shove. Now to buy some bolts for it. Carbon fiber?

 

[JB in SC]

Odd you should say that about liking the old Jennings. The guy at the bow shop asked me if mine was for sale and I said, nah, not at this time. He said a lot of people are looking for those old Jennings. I said why? He said because they are a forgiving bow. I looked him in the face for about 10 seconds and then said, you mean to tell me all this time it was the bow and not me?

I guess it was the 25% let off. The bows were a bit heavier, the laminates absorbed some of the shock. I shot one of the early McPhersons with 75% let off years ago. Never shot it as well as my Jennings. My Arrowstar was a good target bow though, but nothing shot as well as those early Jennings IMO.

 

[bdmicarta]

My last Jennings was an Arrowstar, I used a loop type release. I’m thinking I was shooting 1714 X7’s at the time.

I have a much longer draw, I was shooting something like 2114 XX75 for my compound. I have X7 for my recurve, either 1914 or 2014, and a set of 2016 XX75 that we made up as an experiment. We thought heavier arrows with heavier points might be more forgiving for indoor shooting with fingers so I made a set of them. They do shoot well but I never could say for sure if they shot better than the lighter X7.

 

[Uncle Timbo]

I guess it was the 25% let off. The bows were a bit heavier, the laminates absorbed some of the shock. I shot one of the early McPhersons with 75% let off years ago. Never shot it as well as my Jennings. My Arrowstar was a good target bow though, but nothing shot as well as those early Jennings IMO.

I can see that. It is pretty heavy. If memory serves me, mine is set up for 55/38. Does that sound right?

 

[JB in SC]

I can see that. It is pretty heavy. If memory serves me, mine is set up for 55/38. Does that sound right?

Yes that sounds correct, the older Jennings 4 wheel bows were 25%. I had a two wheel that was about 50% IIRC. The theory was that a lower percentage let off translated into a more gradual arrow acceleration.

I don't recall the let off percentage of the Arrowstar. It was a 25" true draw at 40 pounds (max for the bow). I shot the X7's with a heavy Futura bullet point off a spring rest, small vanes and a loop mechanical release. I used a Killian Check It sight with a magnifying dot. I shot NFAA Field Archery. It was a nice combo. But not as fast as today's bows, with a 1714 it would chronograph about 260 fps. IIRC, it was a late 70's bow, purchased at Barefoot Archery in Charlotte, NC.

 

[JB in SC]

I have a much longer draw, I was shooting something like 2114 XX75 for my compound. I have X7 for my recurve, either 1914 or 2014, and a set of 2016 XX75 that we made up as an experiment. We thought heavier arrows with heavier points might be more forgiving for indoor shooting with fingers so I made a set of them. They do shoot well but I never could say for sure if they shot better than the lighter X7.

I remember the debate about thinner walled shafts vs thicker walled shafts, the stiffer but lighter argument. 2114 XX75's were pretty popular and one buddy swore by 2213's but they would dent like a aluminum beer can.

Heavier arrows do fly better I think, but it's hard to get a heavy shaft to fly well out of a light draw compound.

I never shot much indoors but one of my friends shot a Bear Take Down recurve and did quite well, they were very slow (maybe 175 fps) and forgiving. They were pretty expensive bows in the early 70's, over $400 maybe. I don't recall many indoor shoots around the southeast, just the Desert Classic in the west.

 

[bdmicarta]

I remember the debate about thinner walled shafts vs thicker walled shafts, the stiffer but lighter argument. 2114 XX75's were pretty popular and one buddy swore by 2213's but they would dent like a aluminum beer can.

Heavier arrows do fly better I think, but it's hard to get a heavy shaft to fly well out of a light draw compound.

I never shot much indoors but one of my friends shot a Bear Take Down recurve and did quite well, they were very slow (maybe 175 fps) and forgiving. They were pretty expensive bows in the early 70's, over $400 maybe. I don't recall many indoor shoots around the southeast, just the Desert Classic in the west.

I went to the Desert Inn Archery Classice twice with my college team. We had a lot of college competitions in our state and I went to the Olympic trials in Baton Rouge just for grins. I had a lot more fun shooting NFAA field archery though.

My X7s have the heavy Futura points. My "indoor" XX75 have heavy field points with big feathers. That was part of our theory, that the heavy point would be affected less if you had a bad release (shooting fingers).

 

[Uncle Timbo]

I remember back in the 70's I had a homemade target/arrow stop. Sometimes I'd put a bandaid on each of my 3 shooting fingers if they were sore. I'd shoot no more than 20 shots at a time when practicing. I knew I wouldn't get that many chances in the woods.

 

[Uncle Timbo]

Here's that quiver.